1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to metal deforming, and more particularly to an apparatus for both clamping and bending sheet metal and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
The word "brake" is defined in Webster's Third New International Dictionary as a "machine for bending, folding, flanging, and forming sheet metal", which is also referred to as a "cornice brake". Metal brakes typically employ a base and a clamping jaw. The clamping jaw clamps a work piece against the base. A pivoting member attached to the base is adapted for urging the work piece against an edge of the clamping jaw upon movement of the member, thus bending the work piece.
Existing brakes known to the applicant suffer from several disadvantages. First, most brakes do not allow for the bending a variable length work piece because of close-ended construction. Second, many existing brakes are required to be mounted in a fixed fashion, thereby negating the possibility of easily transporting the brake to an alternate work site. Further, a number of prior brakes include complicated components which inhibit ease of manufacture.
Applicant is aware of the following U.S. Patents generally related to apparatus for clamping and/or bending sheet metal and the like.
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Expires Inventor Title ______________________________________ 142,921 09-16-1890 Kistler IMPROVEMENT IN SHEET METAL- BENDING MACHINES 1,402,801 01-10-1939 Schott METAL BENDING MACHINE 2,732,744 04-24-1970 Kuchman PIVOTED WORK HOLDING BENDING TOOL 3,747,392 07-24-1990 King CONTAINER SIDE STRIPE TESTING MEANS 4,282,735 08-11-1998 Break BRAKE FOR SHEET METAL OR THE LIKE 4,557,132 12-10-2002 Break SHEET BENDING BRAKE 4,918,966 04-24-2007 Raccioppi WORK TABLE FOR SHEET METAL BRAKES ______________________________________
The brake of Break includes a bending tool loosely pivoted to one of the two clamping members. In Break '132, a hinge pin extends through openings of a bending member and the slots of a fixed member. Raccioppi also appears to show a pin-in-slot structure.
The hand-bending tool of Kuchman comprises three pivotally interconnected members, with one of the two pivotal connections being a variable pin-in-slot structure 15, 21, but not the bending tool 26, 28.
Kistler teaches three handles, one being a clamp for another.
In Schott, the bending member is fixedly pivoted, outrigged to the anvil.
King is included as of general interest with respect to its showing of a hand-held clamping device.
The structure, operation, and result of the present invented apparatus differ from the related art. None of the related art teach an open-ended manually operable hand brake of the type shown and described herein.